Charles Michael Kittridge, aka Black Francis, wasn’t always Black Francis. The 47-year-old musician began using the stage name when he was performing as the vocalist/guitarist for prolific alt-rock band The Pixies. Following the band’s breakup in 1993, Francis embarked on a solo career, first performing under the moniker Frank Black. Fortunately, The Pixies are back together now, but you can still hear Francis’ solo tunes by checking out his latest album, 2011’s Paley & Francis. Or, scroll down to hear a classic Pixies tune, “UMass.“